(Artist Report)

Written by: Ginny Gaines   

Whitehorse is a Canadian band made up of husband-and-wife team Luke Doucet and Melissa McClelland. They’ve been making music together since 2010, and what makes them special is how hard they are to pin down. One album might sound like folk, the next like rock, and then suddenly they’re dipping into blues, pop, or even country. No matter what style they take on, their music always feels fresh, emotional, and a little cinematic, like the soundtrack to a modern-day Western.

Before Whitehorse, both Luke and Melissa had solid solo careers. Luke was known as a killer guitarist and songwriter with his band Veal and his own records. Melissa was carving out her own path with albums that leaned more toward folk and Americana. They often helped each other out onstage and in the studio, and eventually decided to combine forces full-time. That’s when Whitehorse was born.

In 2011, Whitehorse released their self titled debut album. This album has 8 songs on it that include "Killing Time is Murder," "Passenger 24," and "I'm on Fire." The duo released their next album titled The Fate of the World Depends on This Kiss in 2012. This album has 12 tracks on it that include "Devil's Got a Gun," "Mismatched Eyes (Boat Song),"Cold July," "Radiator Blues," and "Wisconsin." This album helped them break through the music scene. In 2015, they released their next album titled Leave No Bridge Unburned. This album has 11 songs on it that include "Baby What's Wrong," "Downtown," "You Get Older," "Dear Irony," and "The Walls Have Drunken Ears." They won a Juno award for this album.

Whitehorse released their next album titled Panther in the Dollhouse. This album has 10 tracks on it that include "Epitaph in Tongues," "Boys Like You," "Trophy Wife," "Kicking Down Your Door," "I Can't Take You with Me (Carlene's Theme)," and "Nighthawks." This is a more bluseier album. The duo released a Christmas album titled A Whitehorse Winter Classic in 2018. This album has 9 songs on it that include "December's Children," "Snowballs and Snow Angels," "Ho Ho Ho," and "Merry Christmas Baby."

In 2021, Whitehorse released their next album titled Modern Love. This album has 12 tracks on it that include "I Wanna Make Promises (That I Can't Keep)," "Relic In The New Age," "Radio Silence," "Liar Liar," "Run Run Run," and "I Can Only Imagine." The Duo released their next album titled I'm Not Crying, You're Crying in 2023. This album has 12 songs on it that include "The Road," "Division5," "Bet the Farm," "6 Feet Away," "Lock It Down," and "Scared of Each Other." This album was their most country album yet.

If you go see Whitehorse live, the first thing you’ll notice is how much sound two people can make. They don’t use a big backing band. Instead, they rely on loop pedals, layered guitars, drums, and effects to build songs right in front of you. It’s part performance, part high-wire act, and part magic trick. They use loop pedals to build songs from scratch, they pay multiple instruments between them, and sing in rich harmonies and switch up vocal styles.

Whitehorse has won multiple Juno Awards (Canada’s version of the Grammys) and earned a reputation as one of the country’s most innovative bands. Critics often praise them for never staying in one lane and for keeping live shows exciting and unpredictable. Whitehorse stands out because they’re never afraid to change things up. One night you might hear a dreamy folk song, the next a sweaty blues-rock jam. At their core, though, it’s all about strong songwriting, killer guitar work, and the kind of chemistry that can only come from two people who share both a stage and a life together.

That will do it for this report on Whitehorse. Thank you for reading!! In closing, please just know, Soundwave Music Media will be here and I will always do my best to bring you the rock music report! Please consider supporting me and the crew by purchasing a Soundwave shirt or hat and support our sponsors! Until next time... Rock on friends🤘

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